Ideas for stopping the bottle for an older child please!

[relaxedandhappy]

My DS is just over 3 and still has morning and evening milk from a bottle- which he holds himself.
I have been pretty relaxed about it up till now, but with onset of preschool, I think he really needs to stop. Its obviously part of his comfort and bedtime routine before cleaning teeth, but he refuses milk out of a cup, or out of cup/bottle with a straw.

Is it just a case of going cold turkey and stopping the milk altogether if he refuses to have it in a cup? Or are there any other ideas for helping please? (for example the dummy fairy was fab at helping him to quickly give up the dummy). He eats reasonably but as with many toddlers is becoming fussy re food so often doesn't eat meat/fish, and only sometimes cheese. He always asks for his milk after the meal. Just a tad concerned about lack of protein.

There are two schools of thought on this, those who act like it's the very devil and those who like me, aren't that fussed. My DD is 8 now and she dropped that comfort bottle on her own at just turned 4. She did this when she realised that if her new mates at school knew, they might laugh.

I have it on good authority that her teeth are just fine and like your DS she wasnt much of an eater.

So she wanted the milk....would''t have a cup...so I left her to it but began to talk about how bigger kids didn't have bottles and soon, she'd have to say goodbye...she did it herself.

That is so helpful - thank you for being so straight forward and honest! Will have a ponder...

Have you tried asking him to choose a special milk cup himself? DS is only 18 months, so much younger, but I bought him a colourful straw cup, with a few animals drawn on it, and it's been a success, he loves it, drinks from it, then points to the animals and laughs.

If this hadn't worked I would have continued with the bottles for a while and brush his teeths aftterwards.

Yes he has his special cup and takes anything from it except milk. Since being on here I am wondering if its the smell of warm milk he doesn't like so now exploring a covered cup with a hole for a straw!

my son was the same - absolutely loved his milk bottle, always had. We went cold turkey when we went on holiday in june - when he was 3.8 (the shame!) and I 'accidentally' forgot it. There were a few tears on day one but that was it. I got a one of those tomee tippee diff style no leak bottles instead which he still occasionally asks for at bedtime but only drinks a small amount. We also got him a star wars cup - but bedtime he still has an attachment to some form of a bottle. He doesn't seem to miss the milk though. I should really through the other bottle away too come to think of it ....

Thanks - really good to know I am not the only one! Might try the 'accidental' forgetting too... very helpful - thank you.